State final notes: Drake only losing three players to graduation

During the state playoffs, Chaminade coach Todd Wolfson was firmly concentrated on his side of the South bracket.

But ever-so-often, especially in the later rounds, he kept glancing over at the chaos Drake High had created in the North field.

"I finally looked here and there and saw that nine-seed kept winning," Wolfson said after the Division III title game victory. "Finally once it got down to the final eight, we decided we needed to get some film on these guys."

That was this season, of course.

It's safe to say that the Pirates won't be sneaking up on anyone next season.

Drake graduates just three of its 13 current players, and the core of its starting lineup — Jesse Hunt, Malik Huff, Jasper Verduin and Cade Yongue — will all be seniors in 2014-2015.

Do they anticipate being on other teams' radars next year?

"Hopefully," Jesse Hunt said.

"There will definitely be high expectations for next year," junior Ben Bloom added.

And are they looking forward to them, after excelling in flying under the radar this season?

"Oh yea," Drake players said.

"We'll definitely take things way from this and try to get better each day," Yongue said. "When we play loose and get out after it, that's when we play our best basketball. If we go after it, we can play with anyone."

Et cetera

• Chaminade's star Jack Williams, who was fighting mono, was subbed in during the final minute and got a nice ovation. He had been battling the illness a few days before the state final.

"This whole thing wasn't just about Jack, but a lot of it was, winning for him," Wolfson said.

Drake coach Doug Donnellan said he found out about it two minutes before game time.

"I've seen situations like this before. Everyone else rallies," said Donnellan, who lauded the performance of Chaminade's Jake Porath (six points, eight rebounds) in Williams' place. "It's not like they're any less of a team. Everyone else steps up."

• Talking about the Pirates' poor shooting night, Donnellan didn't rule out the new environment of Sleep Train Arena, but didn't use it as an excuse either.

"It probably does hurt," said Donnellan, who had his star Hunt struggle through a 2-for-14 outing from the field. "I think in state championships, historically teams don't shoot well. We had to play in an environment you're not used to. "... We couldn't get the ball in, a lot of shots were spinning out. Our shot selection was not as good."

Donnellan also gave a lot of credit to the 6-foot-10 Trevor Stanback, who was a stalwart protecting the rim.

"I think attacked him a little foolishly," he said. "We can't do that with him."

• As expected, at least a couple hundred Drake fans were out in full force — giving the players a send-off parade before they headed to the game and then cheering until the very end at Sleep Train Arena.

Donnellan said multiple students sported tape-on soul patches in honor of senior reserve Campbell Yamane, who got a big ovation after draining two final free throws with the game in hand.

"Our community rallied around us this week like you couldn't believe," Donnellan said. "Win or lose they were going to love us, continue to love us. There's no better place to be than Drake High School."